I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8943 

To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to 

support arts education at minority-serving institutions of higher education. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 8, 2024 

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE (for herself, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. 

VELA ́ZQUEZ, and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant 

program to support arts education at minority-serving 

institutions of higher education. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equitable Arts Edu5 cation Enhancement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) According to a 2021 study by Americans for 

9 the Arts, the arts are an invaluable aspect of AmerVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:52 Aug 10, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8943.IH H8943

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1 ican society, as they strengthen the economy, im2 prove healthcare, spark creativity and innovation, 

3 and unify communities, with 73 percent of partici4 pants agreeing that the arts help them to better un5 derstand other cultures. 

6 (2) The American Alliance of Museums found 

7 that ‘‘93 percent of museum directors are white, as 

8 are 92.6 percent of board chairs and 89.3 percent of 

9 board members’’, reflecting a clear lack of diversity 

10 in the leadership of museums. 

11 (3) Minority-serving institutions, or ‘‘MSIs’’, 

12 are uniquely positioned to produce a diverse genera13 tion of art professionals and help bring much needed 

14 attention to works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, 

15 People of Color) artists. MSIs have historically 

16 served as long-standing conservators and crucial 

17 supporters of artist from diverse backgrounds. At a 

18 time when diversity, equity, and inclusion are being 

19 targeted, the teaching, supporting, and displaying of 

20 essential Minority artists who may otherwise have 

21 remained unrecognized must be prioritized. 

22 (4) Arts programs and arts departments are ex23 pensive and have often fallen victim to funding 

24 shortfalls. In 2018, the College Art Association re25 ported that at least 18 institutions of higher eduVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:52 Aug 10, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8943.IH H8943

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1 cation planned to severely curtail or eliminate their 

2 arts departments. 

3 (5) An increased investment in MSI arts, arts 

4 education, and culture programs can further help 

5 Black, Indigenous, students of color access an af6 fordable arts education and ensure the continued 

7 preparation, conservation, display, and study of 

8 works by Minority artists. 

9 SEC. 3. GRANTS TO MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education (re11 ferred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall carry 

12 out a program under which the Secretary makes grants 

13 to minority-serving institutions, on a competitive basis, to 

14 support arts education at such institutions. 

15 (b) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

16 under this section, a minority-serving institution shall sub17 mit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 

18 manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 

19 may require. 

20 (c) USES OF FUNDS.—A minority-serving institution 

21 that receives a grant under this section shall use such 

22 grant to support increased racial minority access to arts 

23 education at the institution, which may include— 


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1 (1) providing financial and other assistance to 

2 students in arts, arts education, and cultural pro3 grams; 

4 (2) establishing outreach programs and develop5 ment offices for arts, arts education, and cultural 

6 departments; 

7 (3) providing comprehensive wraparound serv8 ices for arts, arts education, and cultural students, 

9 including faculty and peer mentorship, work-based 

10 learning opportunities, guidance counseling, and ca11 reer advising; 

12 (4) presenting and exhibiting art and perform13 ances produced by minority-serving institutions, and 

14 maintaining, monitoring, and protecting minority art 

15 collections in exhibition and in storage; 

16 (5) providing well-paid apprenticeship, intern17 ship, and fellowship opportunities to students in 

18 arts, arts education, and cultural programs through 

19 partnerships with nonprofit arts, arts education, and 

20 cultural institutes; 

21 (6) offering stipends to students in arts edu22 cation preparation programs to enable such students 

23 to participate in clinical experiences; 

24 (7) developing mentoring programs for future 

25 arts educators; 


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1 (8) providing training and stipends for mentor 

2 teachers; and 

3 (9) paying for future arts educators and mentor 

4 teachers to participate in professional learning op5 portunities offered by nonprofit arts education orga6 nizations. 

7 (d) CONSIDERATIONS.—In determining the appro8 priate uses of funds under subsection (c), a minority-serv9 ing institution shall give special consideration to uses of 

10 funds that directly benefit minority students. 

11 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

12 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

13 necessary to carry out this section. 

14 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

15 In this Act: 

16 (1) The term ‘‘arts’’ means art forms used for 

17 self-expression and interpretation, including dance, 

18 music, theater, literary, visual, graphic, media arts, 

19 plastic, and decorative arts. 

20 (2) The term ‘‘minority’’ means an individual 

21 from an underrepresented racial minority. 

22 (3) The term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ 

23 means an institution specified in section 371(a) of 


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1 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

2 1067q(a)). 

Æ 


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